To be sad to say goodbye to my beloved old Mini?

[NooNooHead1981]

I'm 9w2d pregnant with my second, and am very excited at the prospect of (hopefully) having my dream of a sibling for my DD - I've waited nearly 7 years for this, and have had a lot of sadness over the past few years so it is really nice to have some happiness.

My DH and I are looking at replacing my 13-year old Mini One with a more family friendly car for a baby and my DD. I absolutely love my car to bits, and after driving a new Mini Cooper S this week while my car is being repaired, it has made me feel dissatisfied with the thought of having a car for 'family' purposes.

Realistically, I know I have to cut my cloth, and having a family means sacrificing nice things like prestige cars etc. Our budget will be pretty low - £5k - and I know I'm never going to to be able to afford anything like a Mini, on a par with its build / performance etc.

Please tell me AIBU to want to drive something as good as a MIni? - I've clung onto this car for years while my daughter was small and now I've got to be realistic and get rid of the car for something I'd give anything to have; another child.

I am thinking this is such a first world problem too - please tell me to get a grip a bit...

Thank you Confused! Hmmm... I may look into it! Can it be used with a car seat, or is it a standalone pushchair IYSWIM?

www.nuna.eu/uk/pepp-luxx

Not parent facing, but my DS always wanted to face the world, anyway. Very good quality/value for money and still cheaper than most equivalents.

It does work perfectly with Pipa Icon car seat. It parent faces in that mode.

Thanks Confused... we already have a car seat (Cybex Aton) that I don't think is compatible with the Nuna... from what I can see, it is their own brand or a Maxi Cosi?

I may sound a bit unhingedly evangelical, but the Nuna Pepp really is that good (IMO) and I'm almost sorry I won't have another child so I could use it again. Haha And it's quirky like your mini. Anyway. Small is beautiful and I would keep the car you love.

Boo! That's a shame as we can't really afford another car seat tbh... it might be a compromise to keeping the Mini though!

It's their own brand, I think. As DS was already out of his baby car seat by the time I found the Nuna, I never used it with a car seat. I had a good awful Britax three wheel tank (with a Britax Car seat), which had great reviews, but tipped over (!) a few times and was HUGE.

Haha... Cool.

Yes, do keep the mini. And you might want to look into the Nuna later when baby car seat stage done.

Good thinking! Thanks Confused - you've been really helpful

I also had a HUGE car seat that was a Mamas and Papas one which we used for a bit when DD was born - it was so heavy with DD in it that my poor DM had to lug it about after my C-section! Those were the days.. ha ha!

Btw, I think John Lewis stocks the Nuna and the car seat if you want to have a look. It would be a good investment if you find it suits you.

I saw my pram as my professional tool in motherhood. It needed to be as good as it could be, because it was used daily and the little things can really make things harder/easier on you.

No worries, NooNoo! All the best to you and your mini family.

I have a 3 door 12 year old mini (aka Hank!) and had my 3rd baby in May.

Although it is very unpractical & I break my back lifting DS in & out, I would not be without!
The school run is a challenge but when I drive my DH's car it just isn't as fun to drive.

I feel your pain as I will be sad to say goodbye to Hank when the time comes!!🚙

Plus all my kids friends seem to love my car - think it's the dinky size & colour. (Electric Blue!)

I have a mazda2, with 2 dc, though dh has a bigger saloon which we use for big journeys or holidays. My dh prefers my car for nipping the dc around at the weekends as he thinks its more fun to drive and is ideal for where we live (busy city driving with lots of narrow streets).

Ooh, you've all convinced me that I can make do and mend! Old cars are classics and the best! They cost less than HP, don't have so many electronics to go wrong etc and are like old friends!

There. I've convinced myself to keep it now!

routine I love that electric blue colour for Minis! It's such a fab colour! I wish they still did it in the newer ones. And the name Hank! Brilliant!

Good for you, NooNoo. You sound very happy and relieved, so I think you have your answer there.

Confused thank you! A piece of celebratory and for us both!

A Mini One? Oh, the luxury. I had two DDs 14mths apart and I still had my Nissan Figaro for our journeys out, though I’d have to admit my six foot plus enormous DH couldn’t squeeze in too, so your Mini One is positively palatial in comparison

I too am considering changing my clubman as with a 4yo and baby it is not the most practical! Baby is in the front with me which isn’t ideal... may need to look at the mini brand boosters when he is old enough... until then it’s make do as I can’t face changing it for another car!!

And just think, the £5000 you had budgeted for a new car can now be spent on new pushchairs and car seats saved so the new car pot will be bigger when the time actually does come to replace it

I have a Countryman, I’m on my second one actually. I didn’t have it when my kids were babies, I got it when they were roughly 6 & 8, they’re 10 and 13 and it’s more than big enough for us all.

It’s not a mini, it’s a BMW.

💣